Writing instrument



July 3, 1951 N. ZEPELOVITCH 2,559,555

WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed July 12, 1949 A/afhan ze oelovil'ch INVENTOR.

Patented July 3, 1951 WRITING INSTRUMENT Nathan Zepelovitch, Tel Aviv,Israel, assignor to Nahum A. Bernstein, New York, N. Y.

Application July 12, 1949, Serial No. 104,311 In Israel March 31, 1949The present invention relates to writing instruments of the fountain pentype, i. e. to instruments comprising a barrel constituting the inkreservoir and a writing tip which is incorporated in a feed memberinserted in and in communication with the inside of the reservoir. Moreparticularly the invention relates to writing in struments of the typewhere the writing tip is constituted by a narrow tube. It is known toprovide these instruments with sleeves or caps having a central hole intheir top, such caps be- 3 Claims. (Cl. 120-42.03)

ing axially displaceable on the barrel, towards and away from thewriting tip, which latter emerges, in one extreme position, from thehole in the top of the cap or end of the sleeve, thus being in writingattitude, while in the other extreme position the writing tip isretracted in the cap and shrouded thereby, so as to be safeguardedagainst being spoiled or damaged. The known writing instruments of thelatter type are provided with a clip arranged at the end of the barrelwhich is opposite the writing end. When carried in the pocket as usual,the writing instrument is reversed and the Writing tip is pointingdownwards, so that the likelihood of ink leaking into the pocket isalways imminent. Further, although the tip is enclosed by the said capor sleeve, dirt and fluff can easily enter the opening of the cap, whichis objectionable.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a writinginstrument which may safely be carried in the pocket and which is notexposed to dirt entering the Writing tip.

According to the present invention, a writing instrument of the kindreferred to is provided with an axially displaceable sleeve or cap, theinstrument being for that part of its length on which the cap slides, ofrestricted diameter, so that with the cap in forward position (shroudingthe writing tip) a circumferential groove is created on the writinginstrument. Into this groove is easily detachably inserted a springy,flat, split ring forming part of a clip by means of which the writinginstrument can be fastened to the hem of a pocket. It will be seen thatwith this arrangement the writing instrument is held upside, so that nodirt can enter the aperture of the cap and there is no likelihood of agarment becoming ink-stained by ink flowing into the pocket. The clip isdestined to remain permanently on the hem of the pocket and the pen isfixed thereto by causing the springy split ring of the clip to engage inthe groove laid open by the forward moved cap. In the position withinthe pocket, 1. e. with the cap in forward position, the ring preventsthe cap or sleeve from being unintentionally retracted, thus laying thewriting tip open.

The cap, or part thereof, may be of resilient material and the centralhole may be of such diameter that with the Writing tip in retractedposition, it will be closed for all practical purposes and will openonly when the material yields to the penetration of the writing tipbeing forced therethrough.

The invention will now be described referring to the annexed drawingsshowing in Fig. 1 the upper part of a writing instrument of the saidkind, partly in section, with cap and clip in the closed position of theinstrument; Fig. 2 shows the same instrument in writing position withoutthe clip; Fig. 3 shows the detached clip; Fig. 4 shows a modified formof the clip; Fig. 5 is a top view of the clip; Fig. 6 is the top part ofthe cap in a modified form on an enlarged scale, partly in section.

The writing instrument itself is of known construction. To its barrel 1is attached, by being inserted therein-as usualthe feed member 2carrying the writing tip formed by a narrow tube 3. The lowermost part 4of the feed member is of a smaller diameter than that of the barrel I.It has two parallel circumferential grooves 5, 6. On feed member 2slides a cap 1 having in its top a central opening 8, wide enough forthe passage of tip 3. The lowermost part of sleeve 1 has an internalannular bead 9 which can be engaged by grooves 5 or 6, thus fixing thesleeve in one or the other position.

A split springy ring 9 fits on part 4; attached to it is a clip II).

In position according to Fig. 1, e. g. being carried in a pocket, thecap is in a forward position, bead 9' is engaged by groove 6 and thewriting tip is shrouded by the cap. Between the lower edge of the capand the upper edge of barrel I a circumferential recess is created bypart 4. In this recess is accommodated the split ring 9 and theinstrument can easily be clamped to the hem of a pocket by means of clipH) integral with ring 9.

For use the instrument is detached from the clip and ring which remainsclamped to the pocket hem, the cap is retracted, thus uncovering thewriting tip, engaging at the same time with bead 9 the groove 5. Theretraction of the cap remains impossible, so long as ring 9 is in recess4. I

Fig. 4 shows the clip Ill being of slightly different shape anddifferently fixed to ring 9. This figure is self-explanatory.

In Fig. 6 the central opening of the cap is closed by a resilient plug lI, e. g. of India rubber. This plug has a fine opening in its centre.This opening widens conically towards the inside of the cap. When thewriting tip 3 is forwardly moved, i. e. forced outward, the materialyields and the tip emerges freely from the opening. When retracted, theopening closes and the writing tip is completely sealed off from theopen. The whole cap could of course be made from appropriate yieldingmaterial.

What I claim is:

1. A writing instrument, comprising, a tubular barrel member, a feedmember supporting a'writing tip secured to one end of the barreh member;said feed member having a restricted portion thereof disposed adjacentsaid barrel member, an axially displaceable capslidably mounted on saidfeed member adapted to shroud said writing tip when in an advancedposition and to expose said writing tip when in a retracted position, aspringy split ring sized to slidably encompass said tubular barrelmember and adapted to be positioned encircling'said restricted portionof said feed member for maintaining said cap in advanced positionshrouding said writing tip, and a clip member secured to said ring and,mounted thereon with the gripping portion thereof extending away fromsaid writing tip, whereby said writing instrument is adapted to becarried with the writing tip upwardly disposed and shrouded by said cap.

2. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the axiallydisplaceable cap is provided with a deformable unitary closure memberhaving an opening in axial alignment with said writing tip, said openinghaving a diameter smaller than the diameter of said tip and adapted todeform and yieldingly encompass said tip whenever said tip is forcedtherethrough.

3. A writing instrument, comprising, a tubular barrel member, a feedmember supporting a writing tip secured to'one end of the barrel member,said feed member having a restricted portion thereof disposed adjacentsaid barrel member, a; pair of circumferential grooves bounding saidrestricted portion of said feed member, an axially displaceable capslidably mounted on said feed member and provided with an annular beadadapted to engage one of said grooves when said cap. is inanadvancedposition shrouding said writing tip and adapted to engage the other ofsaid grooves when said cap is in a retracted position exposing saidwriting tip, and a clip mounted on a springy split ring shaped toencompass said tubular barrel member and to be positioned encirclingsaid restricted portion. of said feed member for maintaining said cap inadvanced position shrouding said writing tip.

NATHAN ZEPELOVITCH'.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 832,981 Kennedy Oct. 9, 19061,179,060 Williamson Apr. 11, 1916 2,291,859 Andrews Aug. 4, 19422,409,847 Gregg Oct. 22, 1946 2,435,185 Reynolds Jan. 27, 1948

